Sleep loss may predict how well people with major depression respond to light therapy

A significant difference in depression course was observed between TSD responders and nonresponders.

• Light therapy is commonly used for seasonal affective disorder but is inconclusive for nonseasonal depression.
• Sleep deprivation shows effectiveness in 50-60% of patients with major depression.
• Forty inpatients with major depressive disorder underwent one night of total sleep deprivation.
• Participants were split into TSD responders and nonresponders for treatment with either bright light or dim light therapy.
• No significant difference was found between the effects of bright light therapy and dim light therapy.

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